Written by

Scott Broden and Doug Davis

GANNETT TENNESSEE

Rabbi Rami Shapiro said, "I think we should have a fear of radicals in every religion."

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MURFREESBORO — Plans for a new Islamic center south of Murfreesboro have some residents denouncing the Muslim religion and others calling the dispute one of the ugliest displays of religious intolerance in the county's history.

Questions of whether the public was given adequate notice about the proposed mosque and community center off Bradyville Pike quickly turned into attacks on the Muslim faith during the public comment portion of Thursday's Rutherford County Commission meeting.

"Everybody knows they are trying to kill us," Karen Harrell said. "People are really concerned about this. Somebody has to stand up and take this country back."

She was among some 20 speakers to voice opposition and question why the county's Regional Planning Commission approved the site plan for the mosque.

The contentious showing thrust the county into the national eye with a report on ABC Nightly News and sparked an incendiary online debate.

Many saw the event as an embarrassing black eye for Rutherford County over a lack of religious tolerance, while dozens reiterated their fears and charges that the mosque needs to be held to high scrutiny and regarded with heavy suspicion.

"We have a duty to investigate anyone under the banner of Islam," Allen Jackson, pastor of World Outreach Church in Murfreesboro, said during Thursday's meeting.

Quran 'very explicit'

Misinformation and misplaced fears may be to blame for the intolerance, a Murfreesboro rabbi says.

Some people "are genuinely concerned about property values and traffic," said Rabbi Rami Shapiro, an adjunct professor of religion at MTSU.

But "there are some who are just anti-Muslim and will do anything to keep a mosque out of their neighborhood. They really feel that Islam is a threat to America and American values.

"I think that most Muslims, like most Christians, Jews, Hindus, Buddhists and atheists, simply want to lead decent lives, raise their children and live in peace," Shapiro said.

But Michael O'Bannon, senior minister at First United Methodist Church in Murfreesboro, said questioning the new mosque is not religious intolerance.

"It is a genuine concern based on the fact that, while we believe and practice freedom of religion, experience has taught us that a segment of Muslims are very hostile toward anyone who is not a Muslim.

"Their Quran is very explicit about how they should treat infidels," he said.

Muslims taught 'to care'

Imam Ossama Bahloul of the Islamic Center of Murfreesboro said people take verses in the Quran out of context.

Islamic Center member Saleh Sbenaty said Muslims are taught family values.

"The prophet Muhammad told the people to care for their wives and neighbors," said Sbenaty. "That includes everybody."

He added that there are verses in the Islamic holy book that allow Muslims to marry Jews or Christians without converting them. The Quran also allows Muslims to do business with non-Muslims.

But O'Bannon said he shares the apprehension "with a great number of people" about a "massive Islamic Center being located here."

"Our fears as a community are based on previous experience of radical Islam practiced elsewhere in the Western world," he said. "We just really don't know what to expect."

Shapiro says it's not just radical Islam that should be feared.

"I think we should have a fear of radicals in every religion," the rabbi said.

"I think people should listen very carefully to their clergy and what they teach. If they teach violence and hatred (of other religions), I think it is incumbent upon the parishioner to get up and walk out."

Landowners have rights

Although no one defended the mosque at Thursday's meeting, many were offended by what they heard, Commissioner Anthony Johnson said during a Saturday interview.

People who spoke at the meeting were emotional and afraid, he said.

"My faith is different than theirs, but that is their faith," said Johnson, who attends Pentecostals of Smyrna church.

"We as a county commission by law can't pass a law to dictate what they teach in their churches. I wouldn't want government coming in and telling us what we could preach or what our doctrine must be.

"My God is a loving God, and his word teaches me to love everybody, including my enemies.

"How can I win people over to the Lord if I'm filled with hate and attacking the people I'm trying to win over to the God I serve?"

Commissioners had no power to stop the Islamic Center at Thursday's meeting. The county's zoning resolution, approved in 1984, grants property owners a use by right to build religious institutions, houses and farms outside city limits.

That means the developer does not need to seek a zone change for the land and go through public hearings at the planning commission and the county commission. The developer of a religious institution only needs to seek site plan approval to ensure the project will adhere to rules for building setbacks, parking, landscaping and other requirements.

County Commissioner Mike Sparks said the Islamic Center is too big not to examine it in more detail. It may require a turn lane on Bradyville Pike.

"That will be a dangerous intersection, no doubt," Sparks said. "I feel like the planning commission dropped the ball. I never knew this was coming up.

"If a mom and pop open up a daycare center out of their home, it will be scrutinized at the planning commission, and it will be scrutinized at the full commission," Sparks said. "You'll have a 30-minute debate about noise and traffic. And here's a 52,000-square-foot facility with a school, cemetery and meeting facility coming in on a small, two-lane road, and there's no opportunity for us to discuss that."

Candidates tell views

Some speakers at Thursday's meeting questioned whether Islam is a legitimate religion that would fall under the federal Religious Land Use and Institutional Persons Act.

George Erdel, running as a "tea party Democrat" in the 6th Congressional District, said the planning commission was "duped" into approving the Islamic Center.

"Islam is a system of government. Islam is a system of justice. We've got people here who remember Sept. 11, 2001. These people are scared.

"I'm afraid we'll have a training facility in Rutherford County."

Other speakers offered similar sentiments.

"They are now on the third jihad," speaker Bob Hayes said. "It's an ideology. It's not a religion."

David Allen suggested Muslims are bound by Sharia laws that promote stoning, whipping and unfair treatment of women.

Roy Grady brought up 9/11.

"That day America changed," he said. "There's a lot of Christian believers in this room. We need to understand the threat.

"America is a target for jihad. Our country established that Jesus Christ is our savior."

"I think it's an absolute shame that in the land of the free we have to fight (for) freedom of religion," said Moss, an MTSU political science student who ran unsuccessfully for a Murfreesboro City Council seat earlier this year.

"It's sad to me that leaders from many groups in this community continue to spout misinformation and hate toward something they don't know about."

Sixth District congressional candidate, U.S. Marine and Iraq combat veteran Ben Leming also has expressed disappointment over opposition to the mosque and the derogatory comments toward Muslims.

"Once again, fear is our enemy, not law-abiding Americans who are exercising their constitutional right to worship free from persecution," Leming said in a news release.

"We must reject the loud and angry voices that manipulate and motivate people through fear. We are Americans, strong, brave, and proud.

"We do not fear those different from you and I. In America, we embrace them.

"We must show courage because that is an American value, not intolerance and hatred."

Leming said during his deployments around the world he worked, trained and broke bread with Muslims.

"I have known their families and communities. I have fought with them and for them, as I have for this country and my fellow citizens, many of whom are also Muslims," he said.

"The people that want to build a house of worship in Murfreesboro are not the enemy. Osama bin Laden and his band of thugs and criminals are the enemy.

"I see a lot of people quoting our Constitution these days, but only when it suits their agenda."

Center held meetings

Imam Bahloul held two seminars in May at the current Islamic Center on Middle Tennessee Boulevard to inform others about the Islamic faith and to let them know about the plans to build the new center.

"We understand people would be worried because of misunderstanding and because of worry," he said. "Any kind of stereotype can ruin people's reputation.

"We want to be (good) citizens of this country, we love this country and care about it as much as anyone else."

The local center raised more than $300,000 to purchase the land on Veals Road, just off Bradyville Pike, last year, and has raised approximately $250,000 of the estimated $500,000 cost of phase one of the work at the new site.

"Up until now, the money we raised, we raised it locally," he said. "I am not a part of any other organization. We are not affiliated with any organization within the United States or internationally."

He emphasized that the work at the new center will be done as funds allow. The 52,000-square-foot building is a long-term project that would include a 10,000-square-foot mosque and other rooms for a school, a gym and a dining area.

Replying to some of the charges made by speakers at the Thursday meeting, he said Muslims here do not practice polygamy, which would be against the law.

"We do not participate in or support any illegal activity, including polygamy," he said.

To say he wants to enforce Islamic law is "nonsense."

"The purpose of this center is to learn, worship, play and have fun.

"We are not hiding anything. You can go to our website and find out about us. We welcome people to come and participate in any activity we have at our current location."